The Charismatic Leadership of the Founders of the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) – H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan and H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Prof. Dr. Gouher Ahmed, Skyline University, University City of Sharjah, UAE
Dr. Antony David Miller, Skyline University, University City of Sharjah, UAE
Prof. Dr. Rashad M. Y. Al-Sayed, Skyline University, University City of Sharjah, UAE
Faisal R. Bin Sannad, Sharjah Government Central Finance Department
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Founders of the United Arab Emirates. Ahmed, G., Miller, A. and Al-Sayed, R.
ABSTRACT
Charismatic leadership is an ability to communicate and behave in ways that reach followers in an
emotional way, to inspire and motivate them and their personality is endowed with supernatural,
superhuman and exceptional powers within a quality-set. This is a case study of the charismatic,
historically in the development of welfare, and business, enabling leadership with reference to the
founders and promoters or indeed architects of the UAE within its transition into a global business state.
INTRODUCTION
Leadership is a rising management discipline in view of the fact that it is accounting for the
successful and satisfactory running of business organizations. If anything, in the highly globalized and
competitive commercial atmosphere of the 21st century, leadership appears to be becoming an important
issue. The new business environment appears to call for quite charismatic leaders who appeal to the
global community and ought to be of global reach and concern. Among other things, the leadership factor
has been brought to the fore by the financial crisis of 2008, with many calling the crisis a leadership
crisis with particularly big bank leadership in the United States of America going astray (Ahmed, 2015).
Thus, Leadership appears to be becoming an increasing factor of importance. It is being displayed that the
performance of the companies and their public standing can be greatly elucidated in terms of their
leadership traits, represented by the CEOs, Presidents/Chairmen and the Boards themselves, and inclusive
of the work-force. They are all comrades in–in-arms- for the company, its welfare and public services.
Business leaders as Gates and Buffett are national and international iconic figures not only in respect of
business prowess but also in terms of their respective social and human concerns. They have many
business, life and social lessons to convey, especially Buffett; not only in wealth creation, but also in its
personal non-ostentatious use. According to him, whatever wealth appears to belong to the society at
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large. He has immense faith in the US finance system and its community irrespective of the rise of the UStates from the present downturn-D-turn.
However, leadership appears to be a scarce factor. The long exercise indulged in finding a
replacement to Steven A Ballmer in (2013) at Microsoft is too well known to be recounted here, and
finally the mantle had fallen onto Satya Nadendla, an Indian resident of the USA. Thus, leadership (LShip) has no national boundaries. What is needed is creativity of outlook in the age of globalization and
borderless on and off-line business. It’s also well known that a leadership decision is on at Buffett’s
Hathaway and one does not know on whom the mantle may fall, and it would be international business
leadership news. Interestingly, in India’s country of 1.25bn people, at the premier IT Company Infosys in
Bangalore -India’s equivalent of Silicon Valley, Infosys has a visiting and transient long distance CEO
from the USA, named Vishal Sikka.
Here located, -of course, is a compendium of leaders from the mediocre to difference of
understanding inclusive of lasting reputation and leadership imprints. A case in point has risen and has
greatly increased within the Arab World, is the 20th century’s self-created nation of the United Arab
Emirates –The UAE-appears to be a special case? The UAE is a rising international Arab star; by 2021,
the Golden Jubilee year of the Nation, the nation is expected to attain global golden heights of education
per capita for GDP (Ahmed, 2015). Recently, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a
discovery, appreciative or reconnaissance visit to the Emirates, on the eve of the Independence Day
celebrations of India (15th August) , the premier extolled fulsome praise for the country for its
foresighted and progressive nature since its founding unto the present day (Modi, 2015). The credit for
the global heights initiative of the nation should go to the visionary founding leadership of the country.
This overview is addressed to the Charismatic leadership of the founding fathers or the architects of
the United Arab Emirates and has demonstrated as a lesson in true leadership. It is a modest attempt at
presenting an outstanding case of charismatic leadership of lasting value and forever impresses foot-prints
in the sands of the OMD-Objective, Methodology & Data.
The objective(s) are to present the case of charismatic or historic leadership of the highest order and
draw leadership values and lessons (V & Ls). It is setting the right tone for an organization which is of
prime importance. The organizations, of which nations should be considered as organizations of the
highest order, which is of supreme importance. Organizations live and work for both their values and
subsequent status.
The Data of the study pertains to the area, population, and national per capita income, etc., of the
UAE and its transformation in value.
The Methodology is to view the vision envisioned for the new nation, its principles and their
benefits to the nation for both its people and the international community. That is the vision and mission
(V&M) and the reality of the nation within the continuance of a leadership tradition. Last and not the least
is how it strikes originally and decisively. The UAE was envisioned to stand for its people and nature and
Arab and human brotherhood. The UAE founding leadership was moved by the higher human principles
and values, which must be guiding principles of the nation today. Is it the case? As the late Sheikh Zayed
(the UAE Founding Father) once stated "Past years have emphasized the importance of unity as a vital
necessity for providing a better life to the people, for ensuring stability in the country and for realizing
the hopes and aspirations of our people."
This is the first attempt at unravelling the new forward, and its exemplary Arab leadership deeprooted in history with tradition and yet visionary and progressive, encompassing an Arab Renaissance.
They appear to have established an efficient overall Arab leadership model, for the Arabian Peninsula.
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Therefore its aim culminated to rise to a global level of governance. This leadership model is worth
exploring and evaluating to gauge the nation’s leadership values and its lessons to impart.
In what follows, firstly, a presentation is made in reference to the charismatic leadership category,
which is followed by the building of the new nation of the United Arab Emirates, as a new and rising
star on the international horizon, with the foresighted leadership behind the founding principles of this
new nation commensurate to their lasting legacy to the world in general. The Arab world in particular
is giving almost a new connotation to the leadership concept, unitedly, the mantle of which is still being
instilled by the UAE leadership. It appears to be one of the most enlightened, and appears to be catalytic
to the Arab world and has placed it at the top levels of the world leadership picture.
LEADERSHIP & CHARISMATIC HISTORICAL LEADERSHIP
The word or the concept of leadership, quite understandably, is a wide and complex one; liable to
many meanings or definitions and open to interpretations. It can be from the mundane to a high
interpretation. There are different grades and leadership, from the ordinary to the sublime then onto the
most lasting category or legacy within the leadership. The nation’s sublimity and charismatic
categorization via history had led to the creation and the founding of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in
1971. This was a subsequent momentous event of history. Obviously as a newly-founded nation, it does
not find a place in the leadership Hall of fame, however it is automatically there as the most distinguished
leadership for the generations-past, present and the foreseeable future. None of the existing traits of
leadership science, appears to cover the historical category, but charismatic leadership values are
somewhat coming close to the category, and it seems that the time for leadership science will make its
way and define itself in its own original way thus, continuing to move the nation and its great millions of
people ahead.
One of the earliest leadership texts gives simple and matter-of-fact definition of leadership as
something like the ‘direction’ and ‘coordination’ of the work of a ‘group of members’ (Fielders, 1967).
A 21st century definition of L-ship appears to define it something akin to social problem solving’
(Mumford et.al, 2000).
Further into the 21st Century, another definition of leadership as the ‘ability’ to build teams and get
results (Curphy & Hogan, 2012).
These definitions are correct as a premise within their perspectives of leadership. However,
leadership as a thesis appears to be wide and greater, a rare quality is not to think of just the self but of
others… encompassing the story at large as it evokes complete trust, faith, safety, security and well-being.
It is not a common human quality and hence its scarcity. Leadership is to say, one –in-a million of
occurrences. It evokes belongingness. Gates, for example, is in tune with millions all over the world
because of his qualities of both the utilization of his head-and-heart. Buffett feels that a good part of his
wealth should go to the needy. Azim Premji of India representing Wipro, often travels by a common
mode of transport and feels himself as one amid the common people of India, Mahatma Gandhi, the
father of Indian Nation, 1869-1948, had dwelled in ashrams or hermitage like huts, to feel as one among
the millions of poor in India. In the UAE, the political leadership is very close to its people in a similar
gaze with the desert as its pathos.
The credit for introducing the game changer in historical and charismatic leadership goes to the
noted sociologist Max Weber (1964). Charismatic leaders and charismatic leadership are far reaching in
historical consequence. Among these in the 20th century were notables as Mahatma Gandhi, as the
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founder of colonial free, independent, democratic republic of India, Nelson Mandela of ‘color’ freedom of
new South Africa, and for the US civil rights’ movement Dr. Martin Luther King (Hughes et.al., 2015).
In addition to this distinguished leadership list, the founding fathers of the federation of the United
Arab Emirates-UAE, which within no time, had made a name-and-fame in the ancient and historical and
distinguished Arab World and the world in genera l-all due to its visionary founders and their outstanding
leadership skills, placing the UAE at the forefront of Arab nations’ league tables.
The heroic, historic and outstanding founding fathers of the UAE was H.E. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahyan (1855 to 1909) the Ruler of Abu Dhabi at the time, and the current ruler of Dubai H.H.Sheikh
Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. (born 1949 & Current Prime Minister) Their distinguished successors
continue preside over the nation of seven federating units with great distinction as President and VicePresident-cum-Prime Minister, respectively. The new nation stands as a forever a great monument of
achievement in leadership from its founders representing Arab unity and a renaissance. Marching forward
the Arab identity, uniquely, not coming into conflict or confrontation with other equally prominent global
identities, culture, language and religion, both East and West. The UAE, in summary, seems, a unique
state in gratitude to the great vision envisaged for the new state by its eminent founders. The formation of
the United Arab Emirates was an important historical event which was very interesting as a
conceptualization to realization in these days of dissensions within many countries of the world and their
subsequent breaking up.
THE NEW STATE
The seven constituents of the UAE ruled by six original families individually and collectively, trace
their historical roots to the third millennium BCE and even earlier as cradle trade, voyages, fish-date-pearl
farming, with camels, horses etcetera. The seven principalities of the UAE today are greatly transformed
entities with high rise buildings, great shopping malls, thriving businesses, buzzing airways and others, as
perhaps in no other Arab lands and many non-Arab countries. The new nation UAE, an innovation itself
in a country formation, had a simple beginning with quite laudatory objectives, set forth by tis founding
patriarchs who will go down in in leadership history as well as being shining examples among the
brightest of charismatic nation builders.
The emirates constituting the UAE-Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah,
and Umm al Qaiwan had each a long history dating back from the 3rd millennium BCE to the foundation
of the compose state in 1971 marked by mutual feuds, rise and fall of dynasties with colonial sway and
protection then finally freedom. However, the negatives including a good deal of underdevelopment
within its conquest features of poverty, poor literacy, poor social and economic infrastructure. From the
former progression of the new ‘tiny’ state to the first ranks of nations as an international brand and global
name, is one of the most fascination chapters of contemporary history. (Rehman, 2008)
In the 16th-19th centuries, the constituents of the UAE, like its big ‘neighbor’ India, were the
Portuguese, Dutch, French and English playgrounds for trade and maritime supremacy until the English
edged out the other contenders. “By the 1760s, the British had asserted their naval dominance over the
region, thereby ensuring the protection of their primary trade route to India, the UAE sheikhdoms signed
an agreement with Britain and had become the Trucial States of the British protection. The truce
continued till the 1960s when England, as part of decolonization of the post-world war II efforts, to
silence the Gulf by the end of 1971. So they had thought; what is next? As a masterstroke, under the gaze
of the states’ manly leadership of HEs Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Sayeed
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Al Maktoum, it was negotiated and decided that the Trucial States to remain together as a federation to be
named as the United Arab Emirates-UAE, and this new Union in result came into being on February 10,
1972: -a great date in Arab History (The Report Dubai, 2015).
Therefore, a new Arab nation was born on due to the eminent charismatic leadership which was
deemed worthy of a great leadership case study. The UAE’s leadership had conjured a great vision for
this new state. The founding fathers of the UAE appear to have given an elevated view of leadership, and
governance for the common good.
VISIONARY
The UAE was not envisioned against any state as a form of war state, but fully welfare development
and a peace state for its populous. Perhaps, very few states partake this characteristic letter of spirit. The
vision and mission of the new state was born-out out in the ringing words of senior founder leader H.E.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the supreme ruler of the major federating unit or state or emirate of
Abu Dhabi and the First President of the new Union, since when the presidency in deference to the major
partnership of Abu Dhabi has been accorded to this first principality, which is no small instance of the
cohesiveness of the new state (United Arab Emirates, 2009). “A country is not measured by the size of its
area on the map. A country is truly measured by its heritage and culture.” He reiterated this further by
saying: “On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to
do so because they recognized by instinct and because of their sensitivity to issues relating to their land
the need to conserve it.”
The UAE is well structured and well constitutionalized state with a supreme council comprised of
the Union (CPU, the Council of Ministers or Cabinet, and a 40 member Federal National Council -FNC)
or Parliament, President and Vice-President-cum-Prime Minister, with Dubai as the second major
constituent of the Union.
The Union was fortunate enough to enjoy the visionary and missionary leadership of the founders
for a considerable length of time of 1990 and 2004, respectively, in which this young renaissance state
could not only get it self well established but also could launch itself under its charismatic, historical
leadership into the higher ranks geopolitically. The UAE’s “founders” is a case of foresighted, eminent
leadership of modernity, encompassing many leadership values and lessons to be learned. The UAE’s
founding was a great leadership story. The new union without any dissensions, disturbances, violence,
bloodshed, coups, agitations and strikes, terror and so on, could make steady and swift progress on all
fronts, to be known as a trail-blazer and pace setter with superb macro and micro economic business and
developmental management, not all due to oil (Rehman, 2008 pp. 100-104).
ADVANCEMENT
The socio-economic advancement of the young union, appears to be nothing short of a development
‘miracle’, from the bottom-level of underdevelopment to the global heights of development, which,
without any exaggeration, appears to put forth a new development model, a new leadership model and
hypothesis. It was all accomplished without any socio-economic upheavals and less and almost zero in
human cost, which is quite unusual, compared against many tearful developments’ (de-developments)
narratives. Development, is needed without speaking, however, this must be of the people, by the people
and for the people, as this exact principle appears to be well operated by the founding and the present
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leadership of the UAE. The evidence is very much available H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE, authored Flashes of Thought
(2013). The foreword of H.E. President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s embodied this publication.
The result of the V & M (vision & Mission) of the founding and succeeding leadership was the
emergence of a ‘mighty’ but small country called the UAE, overtaking many countries of the world in
economic advancement, management and leadership, making leadership emerge as the key factor of
development and also providing the golden rules of leadership. The nation moved into the territory of
global giants –The United States, China, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Inclusive of the State
of India, it appears to have special and warmer trading relations due to economic migration. Significantly,
with India’s cooperation, the UAE intends to be on a Mar’s mission or voyage, breaking another record
(Economic Times, 2015). The UAE may be the first Arab nation to reach the Mars.
The Little Giant UAE – 2014
Constituents
Formation date
Area
Population (m)
GDP (AED) billion
GDP Per Capita (AED)
Invest/GDP %
Inflation
Export Growth
Import Growth
BOT
Government Expenditure/ GDP %
Debt/GDP %
Source: IMF, Vide The Report Dubai 2015, p. 15.
7
December 2, 1971
83,600 Sq. Km
5.87 million
1401.25
238596..11
24.36 %
1.51%
6.2 %
5.51%
+
21.97 %
18.24 %
Thus, the picture that emerges from the UAE’s economy, is of high investment, high growth, high
per capita income, affluence, export or X-driven, favorable BOT, high government expenditure, low debt
and inflation welfare one, which is quite an enlightening and promising picture.
LEADERSHIP, PRINCIPLES & LESSONS
In the case of Arab nations, whether old/new, oil invariably comes to the fore as the most important
factor, pushing the L-ship factor into the background. Oil is the most natural resource in the Emirates;
bringing in annually handsome revenues that go into dazzling development infrastructures of the country
(BP, 2006). It however, does not rule out the charismatic leadership of the UAE’s founder and the unique
characteristics. It springs from Royalty/Regality from cited long historical roots, but for the purpose of the
common people. It is still the guiding force of the UAE as stated by its President Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan (2013). “Like brothers, we recognize and honour the teachings of our nation’s founding fathers”.
The leadership is for the nation within its development of its population’s welfare is echoed and
reechoed by the Prime Minister of the nation.
“The government’s job is to achieve happiness for its people. We see the government as an active
part of society - never as something that is different and isolated. Our citizens are the first, second and
third priority. This is the path set for our government’’ by Sheikh Khalifa (Al Maktoum, 2013, pp. 3-4).
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And there is an altogether, a new, novel and elevated and impacting definition of L-ship. “But,
today, the concept of leadership is much more far reaching. It is working for ‘hose around’. It is leaving
ever lasting memory, contribution (Al Maktoum, 2013, pp. 62-63).
CONCLUSION
Thus it is a case of royal, historical leadership of a nation’s inception, nation building and the
provision of forever direction. Its principles are a service for the good of the people. Its lessons are of
human concern.
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Ahmed, G. (2015). Destination 2021, Forbes Middle East Guide, pp. 46-37, August.
Al Maktoum, Mohammed bin Rashid (2013). Flashes of Thought, Motivate, Dubai.
Al Nahyan Khalifa bin Zayed, “Foreword to Al Maktoum’ Flashes of Thought. Mumford et.al. (2000).
BP (2006). Statistical Review of World Energy.
Curphy, C.J & R.T Hogan, (2012). The Rocket Model: Practical Advice for Building High Performance Teams, Hogan Press, Tusa.
Fiedlers, P (1967). A Theory of Leadership Skills for a Changing World, Leadership Quarterly, 11 (1), pp. 11-35.
Hughes, R. Ginnett C. & Curphy G. (2015). Leadership, McGraw Hill, NY.
Modi, N. (2015). Today, 17th August, p.1.
Oxford (2015). The Report Dubai 2015. Dubai, pp. 18-21, Country Profile Ch. 1, Ox, Bus Group (OUB).
Rehman, A. (2008). Dubai & Co. McGraw Hill, NY pp. 100-103.
The Economic Times (2015). 31 August, p.2.
UAE Government. (2009). United Arab Emirates.
Weber, M (1964). The Theory of Economic & Social Organization, ed. Talcott Parsons, trans. A.M. Henderson & T. Parsons Free
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